Steam-boiler.



Hm. M11505. Patented Jan. 2, I900. J. E. THURNYCRDFT.

STEAM BOILER.

(Application filed Oct. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.)

2 SheetsSheet l.

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Wu. Mfljflfi. Patented Jan. 2, I900. J. E. THURNYCROFT.

STEAM BOILER.

(Application filed Oct. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-She( 2.

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Starts arenr rrircia JOHN EDlVARD THOBNYCROFT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

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EJJPEOIFTGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,505, dated January 2, 1900.

Application filed OotoherlG, 1899- $erial No.733,734. (No model.)

To aZZ "whom it Til/(by concern: V

Be it known that I, JOHN EDWARD Tnonnv- CROFT, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Ghiswick, London, county of ldiddlesex, England, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Steam-l3oilers, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This inventionrelates to certain improvements in steam-boilers of the water-tube type, and more especially to boilers designed for use in connection with steam-propelled motonvehicles.

The requirements of boilers for motor-Vehicles differ very considerably from those of the ordinary stationary type and also from those used in launches and for other analogous purposes. The water which is supplied to boilers which are used in 1notor-vehicles must be taken from any available sourcesuch, for instance, as roadside pondsand is therefore almost invariably foul. The boiler must therefore be designed to prevent in so far as possible the mud and other impurities found therein from entering the boiler-tubes, the proper arrangements being made so that the impurities will be deposited before the water enters the boiler-tubes. Furthermore, ready access must be had to all the internal parts of the boiler, so that the tubes and other parts of the boiler may be readily and easily cleaned, and this without in any way disturbing the steam-fittings. The boiler must, furthermore, be so arranged that the driver of the vehicle can have ready access to it for the purposes of boilenfeeding, engine-regulating, and firing, and the tubes must be arranged so that they can be readily withdrawn and replaced. The proper facilities must also be afforded for cleaning the fire when. coal is used as a fuel and for cleaning the exterior of the tubes. The circulation of the products must also be controlled, so that their full effect on the tubes may be utilized and also'so that an etfective circulation may be maintained in the boiler.

One object of this invention is to construct a boiler of the tubular type in which ready access may be bad to all parts of the same for cleaning, to permitthe tubes to be withdrawn and replaced should it become necessary, and to enable these results to be accomplished without in any way interfering with the steamfittings.

A further object of the invention is to construct a tubular boiler in which the feed-water shall be so introduced that the impurities therein will be removed in whole or in part before the water reaches the tubes.

A further object of the invention is to construct a boiler of v the character described which maybe firedfrom the top and the fire cleaned from the bottom when coal is used as fuel.

A further object of the invention is to provide means by which the exterior of the tubes may be easily and expeditiously cleaned.

A further object of the invention is to so control the draft as to cause a proper circulation in the tubes, certain of the tubes always acting as risers and certain of them as downcomers.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain parts, improve ments, and combinations, which will be hereinafter described, and fully pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a vertical section of a tubular boiler, illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the construction shownin Fig. 1, the plane of section being indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the construction shown in Fig. 1 on the line 3 3. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the scalearresting device.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of the invention, 1 indicates an upper steam and water chamber. This chamber is annular in form and is provided with a cover 2, said cover beingremovably attached to the chamber by means of bolts The cover is provided with a central opening 4, through which fuel is fed to the boiler, said opening being closed in anysuitable manner, as by a plate 4. Inasmuch as the cover of the steam and water chamber in this type of boiler must be frequently removed for the purpose of cleaning, it is necessary that the juriously afiecting the packing which renders the joint steam-tight. Preferably, therefore, the joint will be of the tongue-and-groove variety, the cover 2 being provided with grooves 5, in which the packing 6 is located, the upper edges 7 of the chamber 1 entering said grooves and being pressed against the packing. The cover 2 also preferably carries a steam-dome 8, which is secured thereto in any suitable manner, said dome being provided with a pipe 9, in which any suitable form of steam-gage or safety-Valve may be secured.

The lower water-chamber 10 is also annular in form and has a removable bottom 11, said bottom being secured to the chamber in any suitable manner, as by bolts 12. In order to form the joint between the bottom 11 and the chamber, the bottom is provided with grooves 13, containing packing 14, the lower edges 15 of the chamber entering the said grooves and being pressed against the packing, thus forming a tongue-and-groove joint similar to that between the cover and the upper chamber.

Any suitable fuel may be used in the boilersuch,for instance,as coal or oil. \Vhen coal is used, it is desirable to keep the fire from actual contact with the tubes. In order to effect this result, the chamber 10 is made sufficiently deep to form the fire-pot, the grate-bars 16 being located at the lower part thereof and suitably supported, as by aflange 17, which extends from the inner surface of the chamber. cated beneath the grate-bars.

In order to permit the removal of the clinkers, which will necessarily form when coal is used as a fuel, a clinkering-opening 19 is formed through the walls of the lower chamber, said clinkering-opening being closed b y a door 20 of any suitable description.

The top of the lower water-chamber is connected to the bottom of the upper steam and water chamber by means of tubes 21. The tubes must be of such a character that they can be readily cleaned and removed and replaced and at the same time must be so located that the products of combustion may be fully effective thereon. In order to fulfil these requirements, the tubes are made straight and at the same time are inclined inwardly at their tops. A comb ustion-chamber is thus formed which is smaller at its top than at its bottom. It is apparent that with tubes thus inclined the products of combustion willbe brought in contact with every part of them and much more efficiently than if vertical tubes were used. Since, further, the tubes are straight, they not only can be readily withdrawn and replaced, but at the same time they can be very readily cleaned, and this, as has been before indicated, is very important in a boiler intended to be used on motor-vehicles. Any suitable device can be The usual ash-pan 18 is 1o-v introduced in to the tubes and worked through them for their entire length, thus effectually removing any foreign matters which may have found lodgment therein.

The tubes are surrounded by a suitable casing, as 22, and in order that they may be cleaned exteriorly from soot or other impurities due to the products of combustion a steam-pipe 23 is located inside the casing and near the tubes, this pipe being arranged to deliver jets of steam against the tubes when desired. The pipe 23 may be connected to the steam'space of the boiler in any suitable manner.

The casing 22 is provided with a suitable uptake 24 for the products, which is preferably located at the back of the boiler, and in order to assist the draft when necessary a small pipe 25 is introduced into the uptake at any suitable point. This pipe maybe connected to the exhaust of the engine, so that the exhaust-steam may be utilized for the purpose referred to.

In order to insure the best circulation in the boiler, it is desirable that the products be so controlled as to make it certain that a certain portion of the tubes will always act as downcomers for the descending water from the upper chamber, and a certain portion of said tubes will act as risers for the heated water and steam. In order to effect this to the best advantage, a baffie-plate 26 is located in front of the mouth of the uptake. This baffle-plate 26 will cause the products to pass out from side to side, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, instead of going directly out through the tubes. This course of the products will insure that the group of tubes immediately in front of the baffle and the group of tubes which is opposite this group are less heated thanthe tubes at the sides. The tubes of the groups referred to, which are marked in Fig. 3 with a cross on their tops, will consequently act as downcomers, while the remainingtubes of each group will act as risers. By thus dividing the tubes into four groups, two groups acting as risers and two as downcomers, the most efficient circulation is ob tained.

In orderthat the water which, as has been indicated, is obtained from all sorts of sources and is therefore apt to be foul may deposit its impurities-such, for instance, as mud and lime-before it reaches the boiler, there is introduced into one of the chambers, and preferably the upper steam and water chamber, a scale-arrester. This scale-arrester may be of various forms, but preferably consists of a box 27, which is provided with a series of partitions which cause the water which is introduced into the said box to take a tortuous course therethrough. While these partitions may be variously arranged to effect this result, they will be preferably so arranged by providing the top of the box with a series of partitions 28, which do not extend quite to the bottom of the box, and by providing the bottom of the box with a series of partitions 29, which do not extend quite to its top.

The feed-water may be introduced into the scale-arrester in various ways; but it will be preferably introduced through a pipe, as 30, provided with a spray-nozzle 31. The water is thus heated up to the boiling-point practically as soon as it enters the arrester and throws down its lime, salts, and other impurities in the form of precipitate in the scalearrester instead of carrying these impurities into the tubes and forming scale in them. In order that the best results may be obtained, the scale-arrester is preferably arranged so that its exit-opening 32 will be in close proximity to the steam dome, from which the steam is led out of the boiler. Astrong current of steam thus passes through the feedwater as it issues from the scale-arrester, and this current of steam carries off with it the carbonic acid and air which are given off by the water on boiling and which would ultimately prevent the steam from getting in contact with the surface of the water in the scale arrester and heating it.

The steam will be carried off from the upper steam-chamber to the engine through a suitably-arranged pipe or pipes. These pipes should, however, be arranged so that it will not be necessary to disturb or break their fittings when the cover of the boiler is removed for cleaning purposes. In the form of boiler shown the steam is taken from the steamspace of the engine through a superheatingcoil 33, the ends of said coil being passed through the sides of the upper water-chamher. It is apparent that with this arrangement the cover 2 of the upper steam-chamber may be removed and replaced indefinitely without interfering with the steam-fittings. The superheatingcoil may be omitted, if desired, but if used should be so arranged as not to interfere with the introduction of fuel through the opening l, top firing being a prime necessity in a boiler which is intended to be used for motor'vehicle work.

Any suitable means may be provided for cleaning the scale arrester before described. The arrester may be provided, as shown, with a suitable removable cover, or, if desired, a blow-off cock {not shown) may be used.

The operation of the boiler will be obvious from the description before given. It may be remarked, however, that by removing the cover of the upper chamber and the bottom of the lower chamber ready access is given to the entire boiler for cleaning, all impurities being readily removed from the upper and lower chambers, and the tubes themselves being accessible for cleaning by introducing a device for that purpose into the tubes and for removal when desired. Furthermore, the use of the scale-arresterprevents for the most part the impurities in the water from getting into the tubes, and the entire boiler is simple, compact, and exceeding eflicient, thus rendering it particularly adapted for the purpose for which it is designed.

While the best results are obtained from a boiler in which the upper and lower Waterchambers are circular in shape, as such a boiler is very compact, it is to be understood that this shape may be departed from it thought desirable. The term annular used in the claims to define the upper and lower water-chambers is not, therefore, to be limited to chambers which are circular in outline, as these chambers might be elliptical or even polygonal, if desired.

It is to be understood that various changes in the construction and arrangement of the boiler may be made without departing from the invention. The invention is not, therefore, to be considered as limited to the precise construction shown and described, but as embracing all changes and variations which fall within its spirit and scope.

I/Vhat is claimed is 1. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, straight tubes connecting the two chambers,said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber and beinginclined inwardly so that the combustion-chamber is smaller at the top than at the bottom, substantially as described.

2. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, straight tubes connecting the two chambers,said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber and being inclined inwardly so that the chamber is smaller at the top than at the bottom, a removable top for the upper chamber, and a removable bottom for the lower chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, straight tubes connecting the two chain bers,said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber and being inclined inwardly so that the chamber is smaller at the top than at the bottom, a removable top for the upper chamber, a removable bot-tom for the lower chamber, tongue-aud-grooved joints between the chambers and their tops, and suitable packing material contained in the joints, substantially as described.

4. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an annular upper steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, straight inwardly-inclined tubes connecting the two chambers, said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber, a removable cover for the upper chamber, a removable bottom for the lower chamber, and a steam-dome carried by the upper cover,substantially as described.

5. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an annular upper steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, straight inwardly-inclined tubes connecting the two chambers, said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber, a removable cover for the upper chamber, a removable bottom for the lower chamber, and suitable leading-0E means for the steam entering the upper chamber at a point other than through the removable cover, substantially as described.

6. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, straight inwardly-inclined tubes connecting the two chambers, said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber, a removable bottom for the lower chamber, and a removable cover for the upper chamber, said cover having a fuel-opening therethrough, substantially as described.

7. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an'annular upper steam and water chamber, of an annular lower water-chamber, straight inclined tubes connecting the two chambers, said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber,a removable bottom for the lower chamber, a removable cover for the upper chamber, and a superheatingcoil tapping the side of the upper chamber and being disposed in the upper part of the combustion chamber, substantially as described.

8. In a steam-boiler, the combination with .an annular upper steam and water chamber,

of an annular lower water-chamber, straight inwardly-inclined tubes connecting the two chambers, said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber, a removable bottom for the lower chamber, a removable cover for the upper chamber, a fuelopening in said upper cover, and a superheat ing-coil tapping one of the side walls of the upper chamber, said coil being arranged in the upper part of the combustion-chamber and beneath the fuel-opening and being so disposed as not to interfere with the introduction of fuel through the fuel-opening, substantially as described.

9. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, straight inwardly-inclined tubes connecting the two chambers, said tubes being arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber, a removable bottom for the lower chamber, a removable top for the upper chamber, a fuelopening in the top of the upper chamber, and a clinkering-opening arranged in the walls of the lower chamber, substantially as described.

10. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, tubes connecting the two chambers, a scale-arresting device located in the upper chamber, and a feed-water pipe connected to said device, substantially as described.

11. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, tubes connecting the two chambers, a removable cover for the upper chamber, a scale-arresting device located in the upper chamber, and a feedwater pipe connected to said device, substantially as described.

12. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steamwand water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, tubes connectingthe two chambers, a scale-arresting device located in the upper chamber, and a feed-water pipe having a spray-nozzle connected to said device, substantially as described.

13. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, tubes connecting the two chambers, a removable cover for the upper chamber, a scale-arresting device located in the upper chamber, and a feedwater pipe having a spray-nozzle thereon connected to said device, substantially as described.

14. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an annular upper steam and water chamber, of an annular lower water-chamber, tubes connecting the two chambers, a removable cover for the upper chamber, a steam-dome carried by the upper cover, a scale-arresting device in the upper chamber, said arresting device havingits exit-opening arranged in proximity to the steam-dome, and a feed-water pipe entering the scale-arresting device, substantially as described.

15. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an annular upper steam and water chamber, of an ann ular lower water-chamber, tubes connecting the two chambers, a removable cover for the upper chamber, a steam-dome carried by said cover, a scale-arresting device in the upper chamber, said arresting device having its exit-opening arranged in proximity to the steam-dome, and a feed-water pipe having a spray-delivery nozzle entering the scale-arresting device, substantially as described.

16. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper steam and water chamber, a lower water chamber, tubes connecting the two chambers, a scale-arresting box in the upper chamber, said box having partitions arranged therein so as to cause thewater to take a tortuous passage therethrough, and a feed-water pipe communicating with the boX, substantially as described.

17. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of an annular lower water-chamber, tubes connecting the two chambers, a casing surrounding the tubes, and a steam-jet pipe arranged within the casing and arranged to deliver jets of steam against the outer sides of the tubes, substantially as described.

.18. Ina steam-boiler, the combination with an annular upper steam and water chamber, of an annular lower water-chamber, straight inclined tubes connecting the two chambers and arranged close together so as to form a combustion-chamber, a casing surrounding the tubes, and a steam-jet pipe arranged within the casin g and arranged to deliver jets of steam against the outer sides of the tubes, substantially as described.

19. In asteam-boiler, the combination with an annular upper steam and water chamber, of an annular lower water-chamber, a removable bottom for the lower chamber, a removable cover for the upper chamber, a series of straight inclined tubes connecting the two chambers and arranged close together so as to form a combustion-chamber, a casing surrounding the tubes, and a steam-jet pipe arranged within the casing and arranged to deliver jets of steam against the exterior of the tubes, substantially as described.

20. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an annular upper steam and water chamber, of an annular lower water-chamber, straight inclined tubes connecting the two chambers and arranged close together to form a combustion-chamber, a removable bottom for the lower chamber, a removable top for the upper chamber, a steam-dome carried by the top of the upper chamber, a scale-arresting box arranged in the upper chamber with its exit-opening in proximity to the steam-dome, said box having partitions therein so as to cause the feed-water to take a tortuous course therethrough, a feed-water pipe having a spray-nozzle entering the scale-arresting box, a casing surrounding the tubes, and a steamjet pipe within the casing and arranged to deliver steam-jets against the exterior of the tubes, substantially as described.

21. In a steam-boiler, the combination with an upper annular steam and water chamber, of a lower annular water-chamber, a series of straight inclined tubes placed close together to form a combustion chamber which is smaller at the top than at the bottom, a casing surrounding said chamber, an uptake leading from said casing and a halite-plate located in the casing and in front of the mouth of the uptake, whereby the tubes are divided into two sets of risers and two sets of downcomers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN EDWARD THORNYCROFT.

Witnesses:

F. J. BROUGHAM, HENRY A. BROUGHAM. 

